Sunset
by Random Guise
Summary: Sometimes the duet becomes a solo for a time until the stage changes. Post movie "Grease". I don't own these characters OR a convertible. Explanation in author notes afterward.


**A/N: Decades after the final scene in the movie "Grease". Story behind the story at the end.**

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Sunset

The low-slung light blue convertible pulled into the driveway with a rumble and parked beside a small imported compact. It sat for a moment while the driver waited for the song he was listening to on the radio station to finish. He then revved the engine and listened to the exhaust "brrraaappp" before shutting it off and opening the door. Danny Zuko emerged from the driver's seat, closed the door and polished the chrome on the side mirror before heading toward the front door of the house. The domesticated part of him made him follow the sidewalk, but the rebel part made him cut the corner by jumping over a stretch of grass. Even after a full day down at his garage, he still was energized when he came home in the evening.

As he jangled his keys looking for the one to unlock the deadbolt, it clicked from the inside and the door opened to reveal a young woman in her twenties. "Thanks, Gloria. You weren't waiting by the door, were you?" he asked with a grin.

"Are you kidding Dad? I heard the car all the way from the kitchen" she answered as she stepped aside to let her father into the house.

Danny's face became serious. "I didn't mean to be loud, I...I..."

"Don't worry, Mom's already awake. She's just listening to some music in the den."

"Oh, good. How did the day go?"

"Pretty normal. I made some soup; mom didn't eat any but it's still hot on the stove because I knew you'd be home about now. Anyway, I have to go teach my evening class or the school will kick me out for sure."

"Thanks Gloria. See you tomorrow." The two hugged quickly and she dashed out the door to her car. Danny watched his daughter pull out of the drive and race down the street, the small engine revving. I don't know where she gets it, he thought to himself before closing the door. Walking through the house, something seemed a little odd to him until he slowly realized that it was warmer than it should be. Through the living room, down the hallway and into the den he walked as his ears picked up music playing.

His wife Sandy sat in a large easy chair, her eyes closed as she listened and hummed to the instrumental music playing on the stereo. Without opening her eyes, she smiled as he walked through the doorway. A blanket in her lap, she stopped humming and said "There he is now, the king of the castle" in her soft voice.

"How did you know it was me? Maybe I'm Kenny" Danny said, trying to mimic their son who was named after his best friend Kenickie.

"Nah, I heard the car, you jingle your keys when you walk and besides - you smell like oil" she said, wrinkling her nose as she finally opened her eyes. The years had caused her to lose most of her Australian accent, but her voice was still as lovely as before.

"I had to do something; we couldn't make a living winning a few dance contests here and there" he said, nodding his head in the direction of a shelf with assorted dancing and bowling trophies. "It worked out okay 'cause I got oil in my blood."

"Not to mention you left oil AND blood in the sink yesterday; Gloria ratted you out."

"A goodie two-shoes just like her mom" Danny kidded as he approached the chair to kiss his wife.

"Wait!" she called, freezing Danny in his tracks. "I've got a little surprise for you." She pulled the blankets off and showed what she was wearing underneath; the same tight black pants she had worn at the end-of-school carnival when they were seniors at Rydell High.

Danny whistled "Hot stuff!" What he didn't mention was the fact that the pants were actually a bit loose, unlike when they had been skintight so many years before; Sandy had been losing weight since her illness. He approached and bent over to kiss her. "You're still the one that I want" he whispered in her ear.

"When Cha Cha DiGregorio married that lug Viggo Turcholli you didn't have any choice" she kidded him. The former flame and dance partner of Danny's wasn't a threat to her, but she still liked to rib him about it. "But it worked out okay; we ended up with two great kids out of it."

"Yeah, they're the best. Well, second best next to us I mean" he joked with a fake pride. The years had stripped him of much of his affected macho behavior from high school and he really was like the Danny she met on the beach a lifetime ago. His stomach growled. "Say, you wanna go in the kitchen and grab a bite?"

"I already ate earlier, but I'd like to do that. We can watch the sunset out the windows while you eat. Help me up." Danny took her hands and pulled gently but firmly. She offered little resistance as he pulled and lifted her, half carrying her to the wheelchair. Settling inside, he unlocked the wheels and pushed her towards the hallway. "No racing!" she demanded.

"No racing" he promised as he carefully wheeled her through the house and into the kitchen. A small table sat in a nook, the west-facing windows looking out towards a sun that was retreating from the sky. He parked her wheelchair on one side, and quickly grabbed some of the homemade soup and a roll and sat opposite. He slurped a spoonful and dunked a bit of bread to give it a try.

"It smells good, maybe I'll have some later" she said after sniffing; although her stomach didn't want anything her brain still was attracted to the smell. Even though it was mixed with the smell of Danny's job and there were times when she absolutely hated the smell of oil; now she savored its pungent aroma because it was so much a part of Danny. She watched him eat and laughed when he looked up to make eye contact and smiled; as he smiled soup ran out of the corner of his mouth which he wiped away with his sleeve.

"They never had soup this good at the Frosty Palace" he proclaimed.

"Sure they did, you just always wanted to get a cheeseburger and fries. And they had napkins, just like we do."

"Well, you have to admit they were good" he reminisced as he finished off the bowl and pushed it aside. He then belatedly picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth to prove he was capable of basic hygiene. He looked outside and saw the sun sliding lower in the sky, which was starting to take on an orange tinge near the horizon over the school behind their house. "It's gonna be sunset pretty soon."

"Oh Danny, let's go watch it outside. I can't stand being in this house anymore."

"What's wrong with the house?"

"Nothing, it's just...oh please, can we?"

"Your wish is my command" he declared as he got up and assumed his position behind her chair. He pushed her outside and onto the back patio facing toward the west, then grabbed a lawn chair and sat down beside her. They watched as the sun sank lower, a plane left a contrail above, and kids played on the playground.

"Danny, I have to know...what will you do when I'm gone?"

"Sandy, don't talk like..."

"No Danny, I want to know. We haven't talked about it, but it's really important and we should. What are you going to do?"

"I don't wanna think about it, can't we just..."

"...not grow up? Face it Danny, I won't be around forever."

"I...can't imagine it Sandy. I don't want to."

"Why not? I haven't had much of a life since I really got sick lately; you and the kids won't have to take care of me anymore" she said, starting to tear up.

Danny jumped up. "That's just stupid because...because..." and then he sang:

 _I know my heart aint the first that's broken_  
 _It hurts when I see your eyes cry_  
 _You're the first to know_  
 _I'll never get over you_

Sandy looked up and picked up the song:

 _You know that I'm more than willing_  
 _Somewhere I'll be waiting for you_  
 _Anyone can see_  
 _We'll still have eternity_  
 _Hopelessly devoted we two_

Danny went on:

 _But I don't want to abide_  
 _I feel like I dyin' inside_  
 _Who wants life alone?_  
 _Hopelessly devoted us two_  
 _Hopelessly devoted us two_  
 _Hopelessly devoted us two_

Sandy patted the chair beside her, wanting Danny to sit as she sang:

 _Where I'm going I won't forget you_  
 _My love for you won't let go_

Danny sat and responded:

 _I'll hold on to the end_  
 _That's what you want me to do_  
 _Hopelessly devoted us two_

"Say 'we' Danny, not 'us' " Sandy reminded. And together they finished:

 _But now apart we'll abide_  
 _Until we're standing side by side_  
 _In the hereafter will do_  
 _Hopelessly devoted (we) us two_  
 _Hopelessly devoted we two_  
 _Hopelessly devoted we two_

"Thanks Danny, I feel a lot better knowing that. I will wait for you; I love you Danny Zuko."

"Okay" he whispered "but I don't have to like it. Me waiting I mean" he stammered in explanation "you know 'cause I love you too Sandy Zuko."

"That's my Danny. Cover me up with that blanket, I'm getting cold out here but I don't want to miss the sunset." Danny grabbed the blanket from behind the chair and covered them both up, even though it was much too warm for him. They held hands underneath and watched the sunset together as the children left the park, the light faded and the stars came out. Long after he knew her time was over, Danny stayed by her side until finally he summoned the will to come back into the house after tucking the blanket in around her now still body.

After he composed himself and found his voice he picked up the phone to make the calls he'd known he would have to make one day.

The End

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 **A/N: When I heard that Olivia Newton-John's cancer had returned, I was compelled to write this and have been holding it in reserve because I felt the day would come too soon. Then in December when I checked up on her health I read the actress wanted to pass in the comfort of her home rather than a hospital, and it felt truly strange in context of the story I had written. But maybe on some level in this world things are because they will be...**

 **THEN I read a week later that the previous story had been from an "anonymous source" and the clinging to life part wasn't true, although the cancer was. So now it will be posted in celebration of continued life rather than a memorial - for we all must pass from this world eventually but it isn't just because a single news source says it's imminent!**


End file.
